Hawkesworth, receiving it from him, thought it his; for his he thought
it, as he told me, and as he tells the public.

COLLINS.

William Collins was born at Chichester, on the 25th day of December,
about 1720. His father was a hatter of good reputation. He was in 1733,
as Dr. Warton has kindly informed me, admitted scholar of Winchester
College, where he was educated by Dr. Burton. His English exercises were
better than his Latin. He first courted the notice of the public by
some verses to a "Lady weeping," published in The Gentleman's Magazine
(January, 1739).

In 1740 he stood first in the list of the scholars to be received in
succession at New College, but unhappily there was no vacancy. He became
a Commoner of Queen's College, probably with a scanty maintenance; but
was, in about half a year, elected a Demy of Magdalen College, where he
continued till he had taken a Bachelor's degree, and then suddenly left
the University; for what reason I know not that he told.

He now (about 1744) came to London a literary adventurer, with many
projects in his head, and very little money in his pocket. He designed
many works; but his great fault was irresolution; or the frequent calls
of immediate necessity broke his scheme, and suffered him to pursue
no settled purpose. A man doubtful of his dinner, or trembling at
a creditor, is not much disposed to abstracted meditation or remote
inquiries. He published proposals for a "History of the Revival of
Learning;" and I have heard him speak with great kindness of Leo X., and
with keen resentment of his tasteless successor. But probably not a page
of his history was ever written. He planned several tragedies, but he
only planned them. He wrote now and then odes and other poems, and did
something, however little. About this time I fell into his company. His
appearance was decent and manly; his knowledge considerable, his views
extensive, his conversation elegant, and his disposition cheerful. By
degrees I gained his confidence; and one day was admitted to him when
he was immured by a bailiff that was prowling in the street. On this
occasion recourse was had to the booksellers, who, on the credit of a
translation of Aristotle's "Poetics," which he engaged to write with a
large commentary, advanced as much money as enabled him to escape into
the country. He showed me the guineas safe in his hand. Soon afterwards
his uncle, Mr. Martin, a lieutenant-colonel, left him about 2000